Adjustable back or headrest



Aug. 21, 1951 P BILLET El AL 2,565,015 ADJUSTABLE BACK OR HEAD REST Filed April 15, 1946 Afnwzusy Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable reclining articles of furniture, such as, for example, couches, sofas, chairs and the like and is an improvement over the disclosure of our joint application, Serial No. 603,896, filed July 9, 1945, which matured into Patent No. 2,474,814, dated July 5, 1949.

It is an object of the present invention to pro vide an improved, efficient, economical and practical adjustable head or back rest on a couch, sofa, chair, or the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide neat, convenient, durable and reliable means of adjustably securing the head and/or back rest portion of a couch, sofa or chair, whereby the said portion may be selectively raised and lowered relative to the body of the article of furniture for the convenience of the person desiring to rest thereon, the said means being completely concealed from view.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sofa or couch wherein the head section may be manually moved to the desired angle with relation to the body of the sofa or couch and securely held in any position of adjustment, means being provided to facilitate support of the head section during its change of position.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable head rest section for a sofa, couch or chair, which is relatively simple 9 in construction, strong and durable in use and which maintains the aesthetic appearance of the article of furniture.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide simple and practical, strong and durable adjusting mechanism for raising and lowering head pieces of couches, sofas, or the like to various degrees of adjusted position and means for guiding such mechanism during operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide mechanism for facilitating the adjustment of a head rest or piece relative to the body of a sofa, couch, lounge or chair to which it is swingably connected and for locking the same at the desired inclination.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure thereof together with the attached drawing, which illustrates a certain form of embodiment thereof. This form is shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention -34 having a knurled head 30.

2 consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view (partly broken away) of a sofa or couch embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and detailed enlarged sectional view of the operating mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the operating parts only and in their relative position.

While the invention is referred to and described with relation to a couch or sofa, it is to be distinctly understood that the improvements may apply to a chair or other article of furniture. It is to be further understood that while it is not desired to be limited to the use of the improvements in connection with a couch or sofa, the same is about to be so described.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is disclosed a couch or sofa l0, having a body I I to which is hingedly secured a head piece or rest [2 having side panels P by means of a hinge l3 and pin l4. Body II has a hollow portion 3. One part I3a of the hinge I3 is secured to'the head rest l2 by screws or rivets I5, whereas, the other part l3c of the hinge I 3 is secured to rail I6. The body and head rests have the frames I6, l1 and are respectively provided with suitable padding l8, l9, and embellished with covering material 20, 2|.

Secured to one end 24 of the body II as by means of bolts or screws 25 are a pair of spaced ratchet-like or notched members 26, each being .provided with steps or teeth 2! and a stop 21a.

Projecting through a bore 28 in end 24 and slidably arranged therein is a shaft 29 of plunger A washer 3! is provided on the inside wall of the end 24 and a metal facing 32 is provided on the outside wall thereof. A helical spring 35 encircles shaft 29 between its head 30 and the facing 32. Shaft 29 is provided with a cotter pin 36 providing a stop to prevent withdrawal or limit outward movement of shaft 29.

Attached to head piece I2 is a cross member 40 to which are secured the cleats or straps 4| which swingably support a substantially rectangular member 42 having a cross portion 42a. Member 42 and its cross portion 42a may be formed from a single piece of rod stock, as indicated in the drawing. A flat member 43 which may be in the form of metal strip abuts against cross portion 42a of rectangular member 42 and,

has a rearwardly bent-over portion 43a embracing frame 42 and lying against the rear side of portion 42a. A bent leaf spring member 45 is secured at one end 45a to frame I! of head rest l2, while its other end 45b is adapted to abut against member 43. Thus spring member 45 will urge the rectangular member 42 against the ratchets or stepped elements 26. When shaft 29 is depressed against the tension of sprin 35, shaft 29 is adapted to press against member 43. Member 42 will thereby disengage from the steps or notches 2'! of the ratchet-like or notched members 26. A pair of spaced guide wires, slides or rails 59 is secured at one of their ends to members 28, their other ends being secured to frame member 51. The bottom section 42b of rectangular member 42 is adapted to slide along the rails 5f] during the raising and lowering operations of head rest [2.

It is evident from the drawing, that if it is desired to adjust the head piece l2, to a desired position with relation to body I l, the head piece 12 is raised and since the rectangular member 42 is urged to bear against the ratchet-like notched members 26 by the spring 45, member 42 automatically may be made to rest upon any of the steps 21, the stop 21a preventing the frame-like member 42 from ultimate disengagement from the ratchet-like members, since the bottom bar 421) would then abut against stop 21a. Now, if it is desired to lower head piece 12, then the plunger 34 is depressed causing shaft 29 to swing rearwardly member 42, thus releasing the latter from engagement with the notched -members 26.

- From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is apparent that an improved simple, practical and inexpensive device for the purpose intended is provided. It is apparent, however, that immaterial changes and modifications may be made by skilled persons without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An article of furniture of the character described comprising a body having a hollow portion at an end thereof, a, head piece for said body, means swingably connecting said head piece to said body, a substantially rectangular frame swingably attached to said head piece, said frame having a cross member, a pair of ratchetlike members vertically secured to said body within said hollow portion, said frame being adapted for engagement with said ratchet-like members, a plunger secured to said end and havin a shaft projectable within said hollow portion, said shaft when said plunger is depressed being adapted to engage said cross-member, a

spring member secured to said head piece and normally bearing against said cross-member tomaintain said frame in engagement with said ratchet-like members, a stop at the upper end of each of said ratchet-like members, and supporting parallelly disposed guide rails for guiding said frame during swinging movement thereof.

2. An article of furniture of the character described comprising a body having a hollow p01- tion at an end thereof, a head piece for said body, means swingably connecting said head piece to said body, a substantially rectangular .frame swingably attached to said head piece, said frame having a cross member, a pair of ratchetlike members vertically secured to said body within said hollow portion, said frame being adapted for engagement with said ratchet-like members, a spring member normally bearing against said cross-member to maintain said frame in engagement with said ratchet-like members, and means for guiding and supporting said frame swinging movement thereof said guiding and supporting means comprising at least one longitudinal member secured to said body in the hollow portion thereof.

3. An article of furniture of the character described comprising a body having a hollow portion at and end thereof, a head piece for said body, means swingably connecting said head piece to said body, a substantially rectangular frame swingably attached to said head piece said frame having a cross-member, a pair of notched members vertically secured to said body within said hollow portion, said frame being adapted for engagement with said notched members, a spring member secured to said head piece and normally bearing against said cross-member to maintain said frame in engagement with said ratchet-like members, and means for guiding and supporting said frame during swinging movement thereof said guiding and supporting means comprising at least one longitudinal member secured to said body in the hollow portion thereof.

i. An article of furniture of the character described comprising a body having a hollow portion at an end thereof, a head piece for said body, means swingably connecting said head piece to said body, a substantially rectangular frame swingably attached to said head piece, said frame having a cross member, a pair of notched members vertically secured to said body within said hollow portion, said frame being adapted for engagement with said notched members, a spring member secured to said head piece and normally bearing against said cross-member to maintain said frame in engagement with said notched members, a spring-operated plunger secured to said end and having a shaft slidably projecting within said hollow portion, said shaft when said plunger is depressed being adapted to engage said cross-member to disengage said frame from said notched members, and spaced guide rails for supporting said frame during swinging movement thereof.

5. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a body having a hollow space therewithin, a head piece swingably connected to said body, a frame swingably attached to sai r' head piece, at least one notched member secure to said body within said space, said frame being adapted for engagement with said notched member, a plunger secured to an end of said body and having a shaft projectable within said space, said shaft when said plunger is depressed being adapted to engage said frame, means normally bearing against said frame to maintain the latter in engagement with said notched member,

and means for guiding and supporting said frame during swinging movement thereof said guiding and supporting means comprising at least one longitudinal member secured to said body in the hollow space thereof.

6. An article of furniture of the character described, comprising a body having a hollow space therewithin, a head piece swingably connected to said body, a frame swingably attached to said head piece, at least one notched member secured to said body within said space, said frame being adapted for engagement with said notched mems Ber; i'iiean's normally bearing against said frame to maintain the latter in engagement with said notched member, and means for guiding and supporting said frame during swinging movement thereof said guiding and supporting means comprising at least one longitudinal member secured to said body in the hollow space thereof.

PHILIP BILLET. IRVING LEVY.

REFERENCES CITED 7 {The following references are of record in the file of this 'patent UNITED STATES PATmiTe Number Number b Name Date Martino Sept. 17, 1867 Wright Feb. 10, 1891 McKellar Mar. 12, 1918 FOREIGN FATE'NTS oiintry Date Great Britain of 1906 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1922 Great Britain Aug; 17, 1927 

